


Kiss your best friend challenge

by iamnotacreative



Category: American Vandal (TV)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, Post-Canon, They're a mess, TikTok, everyone knows they love each other except for them, obviously, tiktok challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 08:08:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24966493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamnotacreative/pseuds/iamnotacreative
Summary: Obviously, Sam got a TikTok the summer before college started. He didn’t have to defend himself. He made one for the same reason he made a snapchat or tumblr: he was bored. Also he misses vine and it looked fun.Tiktok challenges are all fun and games until one of your best friends challenges you to kiss your other best friend because of a trend.
Relationships: Sam Ecklund/Peter Maldonado
Comments: 6
Kudos: 47





	1. The Great Gabsbi

Obviously, Sam got a TikTok the summer before college started. He didn’t have to defend himself. He made one for the same reason he made a snapchat or tumblr: he was bored. Also he misses vine and it looked fun. 

He tried to pull Peter into making videos but if it didn’t have a plot, Peter wasn’t very interested. Gabi was off on a summer internship in LA, so he went to Ming and Randall, who were the _most_ enthusiastic participants he could have ever asked for, aside from the Wayback Boys, who had their own channel and made maybe too many videos. 

Most of summer vacation between the bittersweet end of high school and the nauseating thought of the beginning of college was a distraction of what and who he was going to miss when UCLA finally came around. They tried all of the TikTok challenges, especially the dance ones. They weren’t very good but they mostly ended up in laughter with stitches in their sides. His sister didn’t hesitate to show off that she could actually move, and always wanted to do dances with him and Randall, because Randall would inevitably start doing his own moves and Sam was generally just lost but having a great time. Always the process of learning the dance, never really showing if they could actually do it. 

The straw challenge was one of Sam’s all time favorites and every video made him crack up in the middle of the night. He got a compilation of everyone trying it with a toilet paper roll, and could barely edit it together because he was in tears behind his screen. Orange juice shot out of Ming’s nose, Spencer spit it all out and then slipped on the spill, Dylan actually got a quarter of the glass down, choked, then went back for more because he was determined to do it. They even convinced Peter to get in on the fun, who choked and then slapped Sam on the back of the head when he fell to his knees and couldn’t stop laughing. 

He also sometimes just ranted into his phone when something dumb happened, he would yell out vines he randomly remembered and see who would finish them (usually Lucas or Randall), and he had a series of pranks he pulled on Peter, his family, and the Wayback Boys. The prank war between Sam and Peter escalated to a war between Sam, Peter and the Wayback Boys, who had no loyalty within their ranks, and would team up with Sam or Peter or both to prank one of their boys. 

He knew Gabi was having fun out in LA being an adult and all that, but he also knew she missed them and that she would be so down for all of the challenges. He constantly sends her things that are funny or that remind him of her. She made an account to follow him but doesn’t have time to make videos herself, but sends him challenges and suggestions of things they could do next and pranks he should try all the time.

One suggestion came in the middle of the night on a ridiculously humid day in July, which was honestly not an uncommon time for it to happen. 

**_The Great Gabsbi  
_** _01:57am - I’m obsessed with this you should do this challenge next  
_ _01:57am - Link: #kissyourbestfriendchallenge_

**_Me  
_** _02:01am - Don’t you have to get up early tomorrow get it togethher_

**_The Great Gabsbi  
_** _02:02am - Don’t judge me ecklund i do what i want  
_ _02:02am - Did you look at the link yet_

**_Me  
_** _02:04am - I will absolutely judge you all at once thanks very much  
_ _02:04am - Gabi Granger are you asking me to kiss you for a tiktok for shhits and giggles  
_ _02:05am - Next time i see you ;)  
_ _02:05am - Do not fear, the day you come back to oceanside Sammys got a lil surprise for you ;)))_

**_The Great Gabsbi  
_** _02:07am - First of all ew  
_ _02:07am - Second of all it wouldn’t be a challenge if i asked you to do it dumbass  
_ _02:08am - Third of all you know exactly what best friend you should be doing thist o_

**_Me  
_** _02:14am - First of all ew  
_ _02:14am - Secnod of all fuck no  
_ _02:15am - Third of all bold of you to assume your not my one and only best firend  
_ _02:15am - 4th of tall i just watched like 50 of those the NERVE of these people gotdamn! Theyre brave af like 10 of them said their friendshhip is over wtf_

**_The Great Gabsbi  
_** _02:17am - Right??? Isn’t it wild?????  
_ _02:17am - Bro i fucking dare you  
_ _02:17am - I double dare you  
_ _02:18am - No balls_

**_Me  
_** _02:21am - As fucking if!!!  
_ _02:21am - You can’t no balls me wtf half of them aren’t friends anymore why tf would i do that???  
_ _02:22am - B R U H_

**_The Great Gabsbi  
_** _02:23am - Its called a CHALLENGE ecklund DUH  
_ _02:24am - In the words of the late great High King Margo  
_ _02:24am - OVARY UP  
_ _02:24am - I know you’ve been wanting to kiss those sweet documentarian lips since forever  
_ _02:25am - Get your mans and if it doens’t go well blame tiktok_

**_Me  
_** _02:26am - I told you that in CONFIDENCE and i was HIHGH out of my mIND  
_ _02:26am - I can’t believe i told you that fuck  
_ _02:26am - LET IT GO  
_ _02:27am - Also high king margo has the BIGGEST big dick energy in the universe you cant pull that on me thats not fair._

**_The Great Gabsbi  
_** _02:30am - YEAH YOU TOLD ME AND THEN THE FLOOD GATES WERE OPENED AND YOU WOULDN’T SHUT UP ABOUT IT  
_ _02:30am - OVARY UP EKLUND ITS TIME TO GET YOUR MANS_

**_Me  
_** _02:31am - GABI NO_

**_The Great Gabsbi  
_** _02:31am - YOU HAVE OFFICIALLY BEEN CHALLENGED AND I WILL HOLD IT AGIANST YOU FOR AS LONG AS WE BOTH SHALL LIVE_

**_Me  
_** _02:32am - you’re insane  
_ _02:32am - and sleep deprived  
_ _02:32am - its okay i know you don’t mean it  
_ _02:33am - go to bed its ok we’ll pretend this didn’t happen in the morning  
_ _02:33am - good night goodbye this didn’t happen._

**_The Great Gabsbi  
_** _02:34am - *rolls eyes emoji x3*_

Sam shuts off his screen and puts his phone down on his nightstand. It lasts for all of about 15 seconds before he picks it back up and searches the challenge again and winds up watching people kiss their best friends for 2 hours. 

The next morning he wakes up to a text that reads: _You have been challenged._

~~~

He wasn’t going to do it. He wasn’t. But ever since Gabi mentioned it it’s been like a song stuck on loop every time he’s around Peter. Which is a lot. They are best friends after all. So he can either think about it every time he’s near Peter, or just do it, see what happens, and then blame TikTok. 

And then continuously think about _that_ instead. 

It was a lose-lose either way and they were both going to kill him emotionally. But also now he was thinking about not just the challenge, but also about kissing Peter (admittedly not the first time he’s thought about it, he is a disaster bi after all), and how Peter would react and if his lips would be soft and if he would kiss him back and if something more would sprout from it and how that's kind of what he wanted even though he would never admit that to anybody. 

But then he would also think about what if he reacts badly and what if Peter hates him and what if Peter doesn’t want to be friends anymore after this and what if what if what if so many things can go wrong. 

So he decided. He’s going to do it. Because not doing it is going to drive him insane from all the possibilities and his imagination of the unknown is going to kill him. 

~~~

There was nothing special about the day he was going to do it, and that’s what made it perfect. It was too hot to want to go out, there was no time crunch to rush into it, they had all day together and he had all the time in the world to talk himself into really actually in real life kissing his best friend on a whim. 

On every TikTok he’s posted since his conversation with Gabi, she’s had one consistent comment: _Wack._ It's brutal. It’s only been two weeks and he’s posted 3 times but the thought is still there. He sends her a thumbs down every time but otherwise they haven't mentioned it. 

So he’s here. She should be satisfied he even got that far. But he knows she wouldn’t be and he future him wouldn’t be either. So he walked into the Maldonado house with his heart beating as fast as it did that one time he drank four Red Bulls just to see what would happen. 

He called out a, “Helloooooo?” as he walked through the front door. He had texted Peter he was coming over so he could leave the door open for him, and his mom poked her head out of the pantry to greet him. 

“Hi Sam,” she smiled when she realized it was him. 

“Hey Ms. Maldonado, how's it going?”

“Going good, thanks. Peter’s in his room.” 

She didn’t bother to wait before going back into the pantry without a response, but he called out a thanks anyway and headed upstairs. 

He paused as he neared Peter’s room, right outside his open doorway, and took a few deep breaths. It's going to be fine. It’ll be quick and if it goes bad it's TikTok’s fault. It’s fine it’s all fine it’ll be fine. 

Peter’s head pops out of the door frame out of nowhere and scares the living shit out of Sam. He screams a _FUCK_ five inches from his face and jumps back as Peter laughs.

“Dude you could have killed me!” he grabs his chest feigning a heart attack. 

Peter rolls his eyes and steps fully out of his room. “Well what were you doing just standing outside my room, weirdo? Stalking me much?”

“How’d you even know I was there?”

Peter turns and walks back into his room and Sam follows him. “I’ve lived in this house forever. I know every creak it makes I can tell which footsteps are yours and which are my mom’s.” He turns back and looks at him with a raised brow. “Also my mom doesn’t usually stop walking and stand in the hall for a full minute.”

“It wasn’t a full minute,” was his first and only defense. 

“Sure it wasn’t,” Peter deadpans, then reaches to grab his laptop and a notebook. “Come on, let’s go to the attic.”

Sam moves out of his way to follow him, and notes what he picked up. “Are we working on something?” 

“No not really. My mom asked me to do some things before I leave for school but i don’t really want to do them but y’know. We’ll pretend.”

When they get up to the attic things are still pushed to one side from when they conducted the latter half of the dicks investigation up there. Some things got spread out but for the most part it was still a mess. 

“Oh,” is all he says. “Yikes.”

“Yeeeaaaahhhh. So you’re helping me.”

“Oh uh,” Sam starts. “Y’know actually, I gotta go do a thing..”

“Shut up no you don’t,” Peter pushes him further into the room before he can get close to the stairs and sets his laptop down on a box. 

“Man I don’t wanna go down memory lane right now it’s just gonna make me sad,” he whines as he drags his feet across the floor. 

“Then don’t look at anything.”

Sam levelled him looking absolutely scandalized. “Do you even know me?? I’m going to look at _everything._ ”

“Yeah I know,” Peter shrugs and winks at him. “Oh well.”

Sam feigns being stabbed in the chest and falls to the floor. “I have the rudest best friend in the whole world,” he says into the carpet.

“You love it,” Peter responds as he drops a cardboard box next to his head. “You agreed to make a docu-series about dicks and poop where every episode title was a pun, I don’t know what you expected at this point of our friendship.”

“That’s love bitch,” Sam mumbled, knowing he didn’t need to elaborate on the How I Met Your Mother reference. As soon as it comes out of his mouth it sends his mind reeling because maybe he shouldn’t have said that on the day he was planning on kissing him for the first time. Sam lays on the floor and overthinks that while Peter opens a box and starts stacking books on his back when he doesn’t move for a few minutes. 

“Are you asleep?” Peter eventually asks when he’s stacked eight books on his back and a few random loose pieces of paper weighed down with two pencils and a highlighter on his head. Sam snaps out of a dissociation spell and shoots his head up, making everything on his head and three of the books topple off of him. 

“No.”

“You can at least nap in my room.” He spies Peter flipping through an old notebook that he recognizes from seventh grade English due to a bunch of doodles Sam drew on it when he was bored. “Or use a book as a pillow.”

“I’m not sleeping,” he denies as he gets up into a cross legged position, completely ignoring the things that fall off of him. He scoots closer to him, nosily looking at the book over his shoulder. “Any noteworthy English assignment from the mind of a 10 year old Pete Maldonado?”

“Absolutely not,” he scoffed, turning another page. ”I was so emo in middle school it’s embarrassing.” 

“Dude,” Sam lays a hand on his shoulder, apologetic. “You still are.”

Peter shoves him away and laughs. “Whatever man, compared to middle school I’m basically you in middle school.”

“Uh I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean but thank you and you’re welcome.”

Peter grins but doesn’t look up at him, just turns the page. “I’m just saying. We were total opposites back then and now, I mean at least I’m totally different.”

“Peter Maldonado are you saying I’ve had no character growth? Rude.” He takes this chance to secretly record Peter as he reads his own scratchy handwriting. “I’ll have you know back then yours truly was but a boy. Today, I am a man!”

He catches Peter laughing at his loud announcement zooming in on his smile, and ends the recording after he looks at him and tells him he’s an idiot and that that’s not character growth that’s physical growth. Sam’s heart is beating so fond he has to get up to breathe air Peter hasn’t laughed out and intoxicated. Instead he moves on to look at labels on other boxes, peering in at a few, and taking more recordings of Peter while he’s not paying attention. For the tiktok of course. No other reason. 

After half an hour of stalling and trying to think of a way to inconspicuously get closer to Peter, he finds an ancient looking record player and releases a dramatic gasp. 

“Peter! Pete! You have an antique record player??” He lugs the heavy thing over to where Peter is playing with an old yo-yo. “Where are the records?” 

Peter drops and pulls the yo-yo up again. “I mean it’s my mom’s but… that is a good question.” He pulls the toy off his finger and gives it to Sam, who doesn’t know what to do with it either, so he puts it on his own finger. 

Peter weaves around boxes quickly spying their labels but never really stopping as Sam slowly looks over boxes on the opposite end. Eventually Peter jumps up with a small _oh!_ moving a two stack of boxes out of the way to reveal a small cabinet stuffed in the corner. Two swinging doors reveal a modest collection of 70s, 80s and early 90s music. 

Sam rushes over to gleefully reach around Peter‘s body and pull some out to look at the artists. Peter doesn’t flinch as he bends his body around him, the familiarity of a lack of personal space is nothing new. It’s then that Sam realizes maybe he never needed an excuse to be physically close to his best friend. They kind of always were breaking personal boundaries, he was just hyper aware of it now. So he stays there, squatting next to each other sorting through records and sneaking peeks up at a pretty face full of comfort and peace, less than a foot away from his own. It makes his heart start beating harder because he wants to kiss him but he’s not recording. He can’t blame TikTok if it goes sideways. So he goes with a tactic he’s seen in other videos. 

“Oh dude,” he breaks the silence. “There's a new TikTok trend you’ve gotta do with me.” 

“Sam I told you I don’t want to be in the dance ones,” Peter says, not missing a beat as he flips a record over to look at the track list. 

“I didn’t say it was a dance one!”

Peter doesn’t look up. “Is it?”

“.......... yeah.” 

Peter gives him a look but doesn’t answer. 

“Come on pleeaassseee? It’s like a super simple dance and you barely have to do anything I swear.”

“Mmm no.”

“Please Pete I’m begging you pleeaassee you gotta be in this one,” Sam drops from a squat to his knees. 

“Why can’t you get Randall again? Or your sister?” 

“Because I want _you_ to be in it,” he pouts and gives him his best puppy dog face that he knows doesn’t work on Peter, who just gives him a grimace. 

He spots the LP Peter has been inspecting and grabs it. “Come on we can even do it to Earth Wind and Fire! Or-“ he grabs the next one in his pile. “The Eagles! Or Selena!”

Peter’s look just gets more and more skeptical. 

“Peteeerrrrr,” he groans and wraps both hands around his bicep and shakes dramatically. “I neeeeedd yooouuuu.”

“Oh my god fine,” Peter finally gives in. “But I get to pick the song.”

Sam shoots up. “ _Really??”_

Peter stands up slowly. “You’re relentless, you know that?”

Sam shrugs. “It’s one of my many quirks.”

Peter rolls his eyes and goes back to the records to choose a song. “Sure. Quirks.”

Sam blows a raspberry at him in response and steps back as his heart starts pounding again. _Okay. This is fine. This is good, even. Part of the plan. Honestly didn’t think he’d ever say yes but go off. Time to face the music? Oh god. Oh no. I don’t know if i can do this. Oh fuck. He’s so pretty. Fuck._

Sam tries to play off his like third emotional crisis of the day hoping that Peter takes a long time to choose a song. There is no actual new TikTok dance that he’s planning on showing him so it doesn’t really matter, even though Peter does ask if there is a bpm that he should be taking into consideration. Sam’s still in the middle of his crisis so the only answer he has is ‘not too slow not too fast.” Helpful. 

Luckily it does take a while for Peter to pick a track while Sam clears a space and stacks boxes for an ideal place to rest his phone to record. “It’s hard to figure out what to play when you have absolutely no idea what’s going on. What’s the mood, what’s setting the scene, should it be instrumental or what lyrics are in the song that would narrate the storyline the best.”

“Oh my god Peter we’re not in a movie and you’re not the musical director please just pick any artist any album any song for the love of god. You’re the one who wanted to choose the song.”

“A horrible decision really on my part,” Peter mutters, finally deciding on an LP. “This is a soundtrack from a movie so it’s various artists and anything can happen.”

A rock ballad starts up that Sam doesn’t recognize. Peter moves over to him and checks out his set up. Sam can tell he has notes but instead Peter shrugs and looks at him. “Now what?”

“Uhhhh…” Sam is already recording but his mind blanks. He doesn’t know where to go from here. His plan did not have too many details. So he decides to just start showing him moves from a challenge he already did with Ming. 

The moves are fairly simple, and Peter has rhythm, as much as he likes to pretend he doesn’t. But just because, Sam shows him how to do it by physically moving his body to the position its supposed to be, even if he doesn’t really need the help. It’s both a way of instruction that is passable because they’re best friends, and a way to work up to it in Sam’s mind because he’s so goddamn nervous he’s still working on psyching himself into it. A lot of it is nervous laughter, and with the nerves he awkwardly messes around probably more than he should. His nervous laughter makes Peter laugh, and he hits Peter by accident making an exaggerated move to make himself feel less nervous. 

Peter takes it in stride because he’s the best and they mess around for a bit. Peter hits him back and Sam does a move that intentionally hits him this time. Sam sees Peter reach again and tries to deflect, and they wrestle each other's arms until Peter pins both of Sam’s arms to his sides, his hands above his elbows. 

Sam sucks in a breath because suddenly Peter is very close to him. And this is the moment. If he’s going to make a move today it was going to be now. They’ve gotten through a few songs at this point and a new song starts playing with a slow beat and soft synth. It rivals the quick beating of his heart, but calms him enough to trace his eyes down to Peter’s lips as his own part involuntarily. If Peter takes any recognition of what Sam is doing he doesn’t show it. 

In the back of his mind his thoughts are running a million times a minute, but it’s muted, overcome by the physical closeness of Sam and Peter’s faces, and Sam’s desire to kiss him on the mouth. 

Before he can even think _this is it, i’m gonna do it,_ he feels himself lean in ever so slightly. If he doesn’t think about it he could swear Peter was leaning in too, right before they hear the door to the attic open and footsteps coming up the stairs. 

Peter’s head flinches back a little, and then Sam’s body flinches back a lot. He turns just in time to see Ms. Maldonado’s head peek above the railing as she makes it to the top of the stairs and stops. 

“Are you guys listening to Phil Collins?”

His mom. Holy crap he forgot about Peter’s mom. She could have walked in at any moment and what would he have done then? Probably panic even more. Shut down and run? Pretend he wasn’t totally about to try to make out with her son? He racked his brain to try and remember if he even came out to Ms. Maldonado as bisexual. All of the thoughts that were running in the back of his mind were suddenly in the front and he felt like he was short circuiting. It was only cut off when Peter answered - a few seconds? maybe a lifetime? - later.

“Uh, yeah I guess we are. It’s just the _Risky Business_ soundtrack.” Peter glanced over at Sam, who pointedly kept his gaze on Ms. Maldonado. “We found the old record player.”

“I figured,” Ms Maldonado peers around them at where it was set up and sighs wistfully. “Ugh, that thing was the love of my life through the 80s and 90s. Now I barely remember it’s here.” 

Peter and Sam look at each other, not sure how to respond to that. 

“Anyway,” she seems to interrupt her own thoughts. “I was going to make myself a snack. Are you boys hungry?”

Sam is still looking at Peter when Peter replies, “No, I think we’re okay. Sam?”

When Peter turns to face him again Sam snaps out of his staring contest with himself and looks at Ms Maldonado, at a loss. For some reason he can’t think of the question. Or any words. He’s still thinking about the thought of having Ms Maldonado walk in on him trying to make his move, or later, during the making of the move. Or at any time, it would all be horrifying and scarring for life and he could never show his face there again. 

“Sammy? You okay?”

Sam snaps out of it. “A- actually-” he stutters. “I should probably get going.” His movements are jerky as he spins around to grab his phone off the box he rested it on and almost drops it. 

“But-” Peter starts before Sam is nervously barrelling on. 

“I uh- I told my sister I would help her out with some stuff. Y’know, before I leave and stuff.” He ends the recording on his phone and makes two attempts at shoving it in his pocket. 

“Okay, are you sure? You know you’re always welcome to stay for dinner if you like,” Ms Maldonado offers. 

“No no thank you. My mom’ll have my head if I don’t do it. Thanks though.” Sam heads toward the stairs and past Ms Maldonado. He turns his head to say bye to Peter and pauses. There’s a look on Peter’s face that he can’t fully read, but it makes him want to stay. He could stay. He could stay and kiss him like he meant to and stay for dinner and everything could be great. Or he could stay and pretend that moment didn’t happen and they could continue being best friends. Or- 

Or he could chicken out. And so he did. 

“I’ll see you later, Pete,” he calls as he finally breaks away and runs down the stairs and out of the house. His head is banging and he’s out of breath for some reason but he only stops to take one deep breath and then he’s speed-walking home. He tries his best not to think about it, fails miserably, and texts Gabi: _I chickened out._

Her response: _Wack._

4 seconds later he gets an incoming call from none other than **the Great Gabsbi**. This’ll be fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first fic I've written in like 5 years so bear with me. I know I'm late to the party with this tiktok trend but I just found out about it and I'm obsessed. It didn't come out exactly like i wanted but also I wasn't sure what exactly i wanted so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> The Phil Collins song they're listening to is "In the Air Tonight"
> 
> I miss AV and the boys so much.


	2. Dylan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter made a TikTok because he likes the creativity. It’s not something he’s as into as Sam or Dylan, but it's an app he checks about as often as he does Instagram. He doesn't really follow trends. 
> 
> Unless, that is, your friend sends you one as a joke and then tries to peer pressure you into it anyway.

Three weeks into college and Peter was homesick. He was ever one to get sentimental about the place he grew up, because Oceanside was a mess, but it’s the first time he really left it. Not permanently, but for an extended period of time not including when they went up to Bellevue. 

Surprisingly it wasn’t just the people he missed, but also the familiarity of home. Not that he didn’t love a good adventure on a new campus or anything, he did, it was just overwhelming for a while when he didn’t know anyone no matter how many icebreakers his RAs tried the first week of move-in. He and Sam had decided not to go to the same colleges, albeit not far from each other (a 25 minute drive whenever one of them eventually gets a car). They had always been fairly stuck at the hip to each other, so they wanted to pursue interests independently, though not _too_ independently. They still texted almost every day but he still misses him. 

Dylan has been video chatting with him, seemingly always excited about it. He even came up and visited the first week of school because he was bored and wanted to see what the hype was all about. He seemed more excited about it than Peter did, and they wandered around campus, Dylan making easy friends with some frat guys, and somehow getting them invited to a beginning of the year party. Dylan was nothing if not befriend-able. 

The first couple weeks were a blur to Peter. He made friends, but it was harder to keep friends in college than in high school, when you’re not actually obligated to see them everyday. Some people recognized him from a little show on Netflix about vandalisms but it was much easier to blend in on such a large campus. It was kind of peaceful.

“Pete!” Dylan yelled when he answered an unexpected Facetime. 

“Hey Dylan, what’s up?” Peter turned up the brightness on his screen as he sat at an outdoor picnic table. 

“Bro are you sitting outside?” Dylan squinted at his screen. “Who even are you since when do you sit outside?”

“I can sit outside, it’s nice out!” Peter defended himself. 

“Dude, I’ve never hung out with you outside before,” he laughed. “College is changing you, man.”

Peter rolled his eyes. “It's been like two and a half weeks Dylan I don’t think I can change that much. Also my dorm is small and my roommate talks a lot so.”

“Ah dude I like your roommate, he’s cool as hell. I get that though, sometimes like, Lucas just never stops talking like bro! Can you like, take a breath in between sentences? Damn bro.”

“Yeah,” Peter agrees slowly. “Like that. Anyway, what’s up?”

“Oh dude! I forgot I took a bunch of videos of that party we went to when I was up there. Are you cool if I make a tiktok out of it? Like you’re in most of the videos so like, I just wanted to make sure.” 

“Yeah man, go for it. Upload whatever you want.”

“Awesome dude thanks! I’ll tag you in it too it’ll be dope.”

“Oh you don’t have to do that-” Peter starts.

“Bro _obviously_ i’m gonna tag you, it’s you! And me having a blast at your first college party, That’s dope man! Milestones and all that shit.”

“Oh uh.. I guess? I-” he’s cut off by a noise in the background that doesn’t make Dylan jump, but roll his eyes and head back. Next thing he hears is someone yelling Dylan’s name. 

“UGH I gotta go man. Imma upload that video tho and tag you it’ll be dope, aight?”

“Yeah sure Dylan.”

“Aight cool, see ya later!” Dylan drops his hand holding the phone and the call ends right after he hears Dylan yelling “MOM!”

So yes, Peter also made a TikTok. He doesn’t post much, but he’s been impressed with some of the stories and creations people have made. He especially loves the edits of music and quick moving half-second shots that can create a chill, tell a story, and keep the mood of the music all at the same time. He does, however, have a weakness for duet chains, that can have so many different unexpected outcomes and he loves the creativity of everyone who adds to the chain. 

It’s not something he’s as into as Sam or Dylan, but it's an app he checks about as often as he does Instagram. 

By the time Peter sees the video, there’s already 8 comments on it. Mostly from high school friends, a couple from Bellevue, one from Chloe saying: _hang on Peter has a tiktok????_ Peter smiles to himself and watches the video four times. It’s what really starts making him homesick. Well, that and when he decides to go to all of his friends' pages and watch all their videos. 

He’s going through Demarcus’s page when he gets a text from Sam.

 **_Samwise  
_ ** _07:24pm - Hey! You busy next Friday?_

 **_Me  
_ ** _07:25pm - I’ve got class all day. What’s up?_

 **_Samwise  
_ ** _07:27pm - o right shit  
_ _07:28pm - what’s your day off again? Tuesday?_

 **_Me  
_ ** _07:30pm - Yeah_

 **_Samwise  
_ ** _07:35pm - I’ve onlt got class til 3 Tuesdays, wanna hang?_

 **_Me  
_ ** _07:37pm - I have a first draft of a script due on Wednesday I gotta work on.  
_ _07:37pm - Next Tuesday tho i should be free_

 **_Samwise  
_ ** _07:38pm - Damn already?? That’s brutal  
_ _07:39pm - Next Tuesday is good w me_

 **_Me  
_ ** _07:42pm - Its for my short film screenwriting class, we only have to have the first five pages done  
_ _07:42pm - What happening next Tuesday?_

 **_Samwise  
_ ** _07:46pm - Oh dope that’s not bad  
_ _07:47pm - Nothing  
_ _07:47pm - I’m getting used to the whole college thing. Tryna see if an off campus social life works out_

 **_Me  
_ ** _07:48pm - How’s your on campus social life working out?_

 **_Samwise  
_ ** _07:51pm - It’s pretty sweet here. I already auditioned for one of the plays the black box is putting up and some frats are trying to recruit me  
_ _07:52pm - Some of htem are ~weird~ man_

 **_Me  
_ ** _07:54pm - yeah some of them here seem a little strange too.  
_ _07:54pm - You gonna rush?_

 **_Samwise  
_ ** _07:57pm - havent decided yet  
_ _07:57pm - probably not but also maybe_

 **_Me  
_ ** _07:59pm - I could see you as a frat boy  
_ _07:59pm - Theres a theater kid frat here that I could totally see you joining_

 **_Samwise  
_ ** _08:02pm - ok i feel like your making fun of me but i cant prove it cause i can’t see ur face_

 **_Me  
_ ** _08:05pm - Attachment: 1 image_

 **_Samwise  
_ ** _08:09pm - Gross  
_ _08:09pm - and to think i missed your face  
_ _08:10pm - anyway whats your script about_

Peter couldn’t help but smile at the ridiculousness of it. He misses his face too. Next Tuesday couldn’t come any faster. 

~~~

Dylan messages him while he’s procrastinating a paper, so he’s eager to welcome the distraction. 

**Dylan  
** _10:18pm - Is this how u and ur boy got together lmao  
_ _10:18pm - Link: #kissyourbestfriendchallenge_

Peter clicks the link and is taken to a TikTok video that shows a montage of a girl pointing to a boy, commenting that he was her best friend and there’s been a trend of people kissing best friends and she wants in. The video shows her making a nervous face at the camera, and then looking at her friend, then very very quickly kissing him on the lips. The boy looks shocked for a moment as she breaks into nervous laughter, then he pulls her back in and kisses her again. All in all its about 20 seconds, and it leaves Peter confused. 

**_Me  
_ ** _10:24pm - ????  
_ _10:24pm - Together?  
_ _10:24pm - With who??_

 **_Dylan  
_ ** _10:27pm - Uhh Sam??  
_ _10:28pm - Hold up do u got another man???_

 **_Me  
_ ** _10:29pm - Me and Sam aren’t together????_

 **_Dylan  
_ ** _10:32pm - Are u fuking w me?  
_ _10:32pm - Ur fukin w me  
_ _10:32pm - When did u guys break up???_

 **_Me  
_ ** _10:34pm - We were never together???_

 **_Dylan  
_ ** _10:35pm - No fuckin shit  
_ _10:35pm - No way dude  
_ _10:36pm - I coulda sworn on my fukin life u 2 were dating_

 **_Me  
_ ** _10:37pm - No???  
_ _10:37pm - What????  
_ _10:37pm - Why?????_

 **_Dylan  
_ ** _10:39pm - idk i just always thought u were together  
_ _10:39pm - cause like  
_ _10:40pm - u were always together and shit  
_ _10:40pm - and vibes and shit  
_ _10:40pm - u guys were like how me and mack were_

 **_Me  
_ ** _10:41pm - Um i disagree_

 **_Dylan  
_ ** _10:42pm - ok but u guys r like  
_ _10:42pm - into eachother right_

 **_Me  
_ ** _10:43pm - uh no??_

 **_Dylan  
_ ** _10:44pm - yea right like u never thought about it  
_ _10:45pm - yall act way to much like boyfriends to not have thought about it_

 **_Me  
_ ** _10:46pm - what do you mean i didn’t even think we acted like boyfriends!  
_ _10:50pm - Dylan??_

 **_Dylan  
_ ** _10:52pm - ur both into each other  
_ _10:52pm - swear on my life like i thought it was already a thing  
_ _10:53pm - at least ur into him right?  
_ _10:53pm - don’t mess w me pete it’ll kinda mind fuck me if ur not_

 **_Me  
_ ** _10:56pm - Dylan that is not what i was trying to get at  
_ _10:56pm - Me and Sam aren’t and were never dating_

 **_Dylan  
_ ** _10:58pm - holy shit u are into him  
_ _10:59pm - i fuckin knew it!!  
_ _10:59pm - dude I dare you to do this challenge  
_ _10:59pm - I double dare you  
_ _11:00pm - I triple dare you!!!_

 **_Me  
_ ** _11:00pm - Dylan no!  
_ _11:01pm - We’re not into each other like that!_

 **_Dylan_ ** **_  
_** _11:01pm - BULLSHIT  
_ _11:02pm - I can see with my eyes pete  
_ _11:02pm - I 4 times dare you!  
_ _11:03pm - dude come on itll be so great ur into him and hes obv into u like dude!  
_ _11:03pm - theres legit nothing that can go wrong_

 **_Me  
_ ** _11:05pm - I have to go work on a paper  
_ _11:05pm - I’ll talk to you later this is not happening_

 **_Dylan  
_ ** _11:06pm - Dude come on!  
_ _11:06pm - next time u see him just plant one on him itll be great!  
_ _11:07pm - its called a CHALLENGE for a reason_

 **_Me  
_ ** _11:08pm - BYE DYLAN_

Peter puts down his phone and takes a few deep breaths. There’s no way right? Sam’s not into him. That video didn’t remind him at all of his and Sam’s relationship Dylan is just weird. This whole thing is weird the last hour has been weird. Sam’s not into him right? He’s not into Sam. 

He knew that last one was a lie. Just a little. He loves Sam as a friend and a brother and, well, maybe he didn’t know how much more, but more. Sam is his best friend. That’s it right?

His mind goes back to the video. He picks his phone up and watches it again. Then he watches another of the same tag. And another. And another. And something pulls at his brain. One of the videos has a girl telling her best friend that they were working on a tiktok challenge, but told her best friend it was a dance one, not one where she kisses him unexpectedly. His mind is yanked back to an uncharacteristically humid summer day in his attic featuring him, Sam, and the _Risky Business_ soundtrack. Back to when he thought about kissing Sam where he stood four inches away from him, breathing a little heavy from bad dancing and fake wrestling. Back to when he thought for a split second that maybe Sam was leaning in too. 

Holy shit. Was Sam into him?

~~~

He’s going over to UCLA to visit Sam in two days and he hasn’t stopped thinking about his conversation with Dylan. Or that day a couple months ago. Not that he didn’t think about that day he almost kissed his best friend by accident. At least on his part. 

Dylan has mentioned it again in the week that passed, trying to convince him to make a move. He keeps telling him that it’ll be “dope” and that they’re “basically already together” and how they’re “always giving each other heart eyes so I just kinda figured.” They’ve been some of the most embarrassing conversations of Peter’s life. 

It’s not that Peter didn’t _want_ to kiss Sam, he just never thought of it as a real viable option. 

A viable option he wasn’t expecting Dylan to think was already happening.

So on Sunday night when he should be studying for a quiz in his science requirement, he’s on TikTok watching another kiss-your-best-friend video. He’s been in his head about it for the past week and he’s admittedly watched more of them than he can count. He tells himself it’s their bravery and the nerves it takes to do something like that that he’s interested in, but he really just wants to see all the reactions of their best friends. If they are still best friends. If they kiss back. If they’re friends anymore. If that was what Sam was trying to do that day. 

The more he watched and the more he thought about it, the more he tried to convince himself that it was. That Sam was going to try and kiss him that day and then his mother interrupted them and he ran away. It made sense. Not logically but emotionally it made sense. Because why would Sam want to kiss Peter? And even if he did then, did he still want to?

~~~

On Tuesday he tries to sleep in, but wakes up earlier than he means to with one thought: _I’m going to kiss Sam today._

It wasn’t a premeditated plan, he just woke up and decided. Maybe it was a dream he had that he didn’t remember, but he didn’t know why he suddenly decided to accept a tiktok challenge from Dylan Maxwell. Not that he was going to tell Dylan he was going to do it or anything, he’d find out eventually. 

For a little while it seemed like such an easy decision. He laid in bed for an hour or so browsing social media, he played a game, got up and showered. It wasn’t until he was actually on his way to meet up with Sam on his campus that it hit him. _He was going to kiss Sam today._

His brain snapped off autopilot and into overdrive as he jumped onto the Metro to Sepulveda. Oh god what was he thinking. This was a terrible idea. Why would this be a good idea? Who says Sam even wanted to kiss him anymore? What if he wasn’t trying to kiss him over summer either and he was just reading into it?

He had been so committed to it the whole morning like it was so obvious that it was going to happen. He didn’t have a care in the world, it all just felt natural. 

_It still kind of does_ , he tells himself. _I want to kiss him and I’m going to kiss him. Or I’m going to try maybe? Oh god maybe I don’t want to. I shouldn’t. But I should. Oh god._

He wrestles mentally with himself for the full 26 minute ride before he almost misses his stop to transfer and hops off right in time. He takes some deep breaths as he waits for his transfer. As soon as he boards the bus it’s like every decision he makes is affected by his environment. He knows on the bus that he is going to kiss Sam. It’s his mission for the day. Just, how? He debates different ways that he’s seen other people kiss their friends in the videos and none of them feel right. He wants to do it right because Sam deserves that. He deserves the best. So he spends the next 20 minute ride making intricate plans of how to go about kissing his best friend without him knowing that that’s what he’s trying to do. More so, he thought about the TikTok video he was making for some reason and what other content he should include to introduce himself and his best friend. Should he use the classic song by Powfu that most of the uploads use? He didn’t want to go back and use photos they had already taken, just film some simple stuff of their day today. The logistics are just as important as the content. 

When he hops off the bus and gets on campus he’s a bit early. He sends over a quick text that reads: _I’m here whenever you get out of class. I’m wandering._

Sam responds quicker than he should being that he’s in class: _20 min!_

As Peter wanders through campus he remembers why UCLA is considered one of the most beautiful campuses in the US. He takes his time strolling through the lawns and buildings, admiring the architecture and geometric aesthetic. Before long Sam texts him again. 

**_Samwise  
_ ** _02:49pm - prof let us out early wya???_

 **_Me  
_ ** _02:51pm - There's a bear here._

This generates no response, so he assumes Sam knows what he’s talking about. He puts his phone back in his pocket and approaches the large bear statue. He’s crouching down looking the bear directly in the eyes when he hears his name being called from behind him. Turning his head he spots a grinning Sam Ecklund jogging up to meet him. Peter stands up and returns the grin as Sam runs into him and throws his arms around him. 

“Dude!”

“Dude!” Peter laughs in response.

They pull back, neither of their smiles faltering. A thought shoots through Peter in passing: _I could do it right now._ But he shoves that down. He wants the whole day with him. Instead he pushes him in the shoulder. 

“You look good!”

Sam rolls his eyes and shoves him back. “I look the same, it's only been like a month. C’mon,” he grabs Peter’s elbow and pulls him toward the back of the bear statue. “You gotta touch the bear foot.”

Peter scrunches his eyebrows as he gets dragged along. “What?”

“It’s tradition,” Sam explains. “Give the bear a lil slap on the foot for good luck.”

“Slap it?” 

Sam shrugs. “Tradition man. Slap it, rub it, whatever.”

Peter gives him a look but bends down to awkwardly touch the heel of the bear’s back foot. He looks back up at Sam in discomfort and confusion to find him with his phone out recording him. 

“Sam!” he shoots back up and swats at his hand as Sam backs up and laughs. 

“It’s tradition I swear it's just funny to watch!” He ends the recording and climbs up next to the bear. “No offense to the bear tho I love ‘im.” Sam puts his hand on the top of the statue’s back, and immediately yelps and yanks his hand away. “Damn that’s hot!”

Peter laughs at him as he jumps down. “That’s what you get.”

Sam pouts. “Whatever. I’m starving, let's get something to eat. I’m craving Pinches Tacos if that’s cool with you.”

“I will never say no to tacos.”

Sam grins and throws his arm around Peter. “That's what I like to hear.”

As they walk Peter gets lost in Sam’s company, just enjoying himself. He remembers to take some video of them laughing or messing around as Sam points out things and places on campus they pass. They just missed the lunch rush when they get to there, and Sam quotes, “You know what Pinches Tacos means right?”

Peter rolls his eyes but continues. “Little pinches of flavor-”

“Fucking tacos!” Sam grins and exclaims, finishing the vine reference. 

Sam’s stomach growls when they sit before he scarfs down three tacos barely taking a breath in between. Peter raises his eyebrows and watches him go to town. He pulls out his phone and records him eating like an animal and it takes a moment before Sam looks directly into the camera, pauses, then continues eating while maintaining eye contact. 

“Gross Sam,” Peter laughs and puts his phone away. 

“I’m hungry!” Sam’s comment is muffled by food still in his mouth.

“Yeah I can see that.” Peter gets to work on his own food, like a much more civilized person. He only gets through one and a half before Sam finishes his five and groans. 

“Ahhhhhh I ate too fast.” He leans back in his seat and slides down a bit. 

“Yeah no shit Sherlock,” Peter comments between bites.

Sam releases a deep sigh. “Worth it.”

Peter shakes his head at him and continues eating as Sam continues to look on the verge of comatose. Their conversation is mumbled and littered with groans. When it’s time to leave Peter has to drag him out of his seat and into the street looking a little better but still dragging his feet. 

“Where to now?” Peter shoulders him lightly, seeing as he doesn’t know where he's going. 

“Let go to the hill,” Sam perks up a little. “I can intro you to some of my friends! Also I wanna put my bag down.”

“Sure,” Peter smiles and it’s like a switch turns on for Sam. He skips forward to lead the way and talks about his friends, texting them so they can meet somewhere if they’re not in class. Peter takes some video of Sam giddy about friendship, who spies the camera and makes faces at it. Peter lets him babble on even though Sam has already told him about all or most of his friends over text or video chat. In the back of his mind he’s thinking about how he definitely cannot under any circumstances try and kiss Sam while they’re with his friends. 

They work their way through campus again, this time Sam points out buildings he thinks said friends are supposed to be in, and if he has classes in it. 

“Anyway, how’s USC?”

Peter is looking at a building that looks familiar but he can’t put his finger on why. “USC is good. Campus is beautiful, people are nice. I can’t touch most of the equipment yet, I have to take my basics classes first but I’m really excited to.”

“Uh did you tell them you’re a Netflix famous director?”

Peter gives him a look. “No and I will not. Just because it’s what got me a scholarship doesn’t mean I should show it off to the whole school.”

“Maybe you should,” Sam teases. “Maybe it’ll get you some one-on-one time with that sweet sweet equipment.”

Peter shakes his head. “It’s one of the most prestigious film schools in the US Sam, I’m pretty sure they don’t want anyone cheating the system with equipment like that.”

“It's not cheating if they let you do it,” Sam points out and Peter rolls his eyes. “Decide if you’re going to minor in Journalism yet?”

“Leaning towards it. I’m going to take a class or two next semester and see how it goes. I’d have to talk with my advisor anyway.”

Sam cups his hands around his mouth and loudly whispers, “Join uuussss.”

Peter shoves his hands away as Sam steps closer and repeats it. “Whatever. Are _you_ gonna minor in film?”

Sam does a little spin the way his hands get pushed before turning back to him. “Thinking about double majoring, actually.”

“Oh nice! Won't leave you with a ton of time for theater stuff though.”

“We’ll see. Maybe my time management skills will get better,” Sam shrugs with a skeptical look on his face.

“As long as your time management skills remember to include your off campus social life, I support it.” 

Sam elbows him, looking insulted. “My time management skills could never.”

Peter gives a crooked grin and thanks the universe that blushes don’t show up as brightly on his skin as they do on Sam’s. Either way he changes the subject and looks away from Sam. Just in case. 

When they get to Sam’s dorm Sam drops his bag flops face down on his bed. “I need like 5 minutes to not be standing.” He releases a deep breath. “I hate going up the hill.”

Peter shakes his head and smiles fondly. “Where’s your bathroom?”

“Take a left down the hall, third door on the right. You’ll see it.”

“Cool.”

Peter goes and splashes some cold water on his face. When he gets back Sam is lying on his back on his phone. 

“Benji and Sara with no ‘h’ are in the lounge downstairs, wanna meet ‘em?”

“Sure.”

They spend the next couple hours meeting friends and hanging out until they have to get to class or some other prior engagement. They wander to various places on the Hill, to various places on campus, eventually finding themselves sitting in Winston Plaza as the sun starts going down. They had opted for sprawling out on the cooling grass. 

Peter was sat up cross legged, tuning in and out of conversation as he watched the sky change. He felt peaceful. 

He felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned to see Sam with a slightly tilted head and a soft smile. Peter watches him get up and address the group of five. 

“I’m gonna show Pete the fountain.”

Alyssa turns to him with a disgusted look on her face. “Up Janss Steps? Gross.”

“Hell no,” Sam seemed appalled she would even ask. “No we’re definitely going around.”

“Good. Those steps are some masochist type shit,” Dustin says as Peter climbs off the ground.

“Absolutely agreed,” Sam nods. “See you guys later.”

The remaining three echo “bye”’s and “nice meeting you Peter”’s as he waves. Turning back to Sam and matching his stride, he asks, “Where we going?”

“Taking a walk,” Sam responds. “You looked like your social battery died.”

Peter nods, forgetting that Sam has always been able to sense that. “Yeah getting there.”

They’re silent for a moment. 

“So,” Sam starts as they near the steps. “These are the Janss Steps. They’re a nightmare. And they were featured in _Old School_ , and _the Nutty Professor_ most notably.” Sam gestures like a tour guide as Peter laughs and shakes his head. 

“Those aren’t really my types of movies.”

Sam taps his chin, contemplative. “Really? Movies from before we were born about college life and missing college life? Not your speed? Hmm not what I expected from you Pete.”

Peter rolls his eyes. “Shut up.” He turns back to the stairs. “We’re definitely not walking up those right?”

“Absolutely not,” Sam confirms and throws his arm over Peter’s shoulders, directing them to the right, and Peter leans into his warmth. With his free arm Sam gestures widely at the field they were now walking past. “Welcome to Election Walk. Humble home of more recent titles, _Dear White People_ and _Happy Death Day_. The paths all lead to another path or the same path but a different spot or another path leading back to the same path you were just on.” As they reach the end of Election Walk Sam releases him and stops. “Or, mind blown, you can walk across the grass and skip all of the paths.”

“Yeah I’m sure the person who takes care of the grass would be so happy about that,” Peter retorts. 

“Whoever takes care of the grass works at one of the biggest universities in Southern California. They’re already having a rough time.” 

Peter has no response to that. It’s a fair point. 

“Across the street is the beautiful Kerchoff Hall, home to almost every student organization on campus, featured in part of the always iconic _Legally Blonde,_ depicted as Harvard,” Sam continues. “So I guess you could say that I went to Harvard.”

Peter laughs. “You know some of _Legally Blonde_ was shot at USC too right?”

“ _Legally Blonde_ was shot at a million different places in and around LA but this is the only one that matters.”

“Wow okay rude,” Peter swats at him then reaches for his phone as they take one of the paths starting to go uphill. 

Sam puts his hands up as Peter starts recording. “I only speak truths. We’re rivals now you know.”

Peter shakes his head. “Yeah yeah school tradition.”

“It’s campus culture!” Sam exclaimed. “UCLA vs USC forever and always.”

“You say it like they’re star crossed lovers.”

“They could be! We’re Romeo and you guys are Juliet, stuck in a rivalry we didn’t start but we sure will end in tragedy,” Sam becomes more and more dramatic as he continues, grabbing Peter’s arm. “Deny thy father, refuse thy name. Oh wherefore art thou USC?”

They burst into laughter as Sam pushes the camera out of his face. 

“What’s with all the recording today anyway? I like never see you recording this much unless you have an actual camera.”

Peter shrugs, putting it away. “Nothing. Just documenting.”

Sam squishes his cheek, Peter flinches and swats at his hand to no avail. “Awww afraid you’re gonna miss me, Pete?”

“Ew Sam, gross,” Peter groans, finally pulling out of his grasp. 

“It’s okay,” he teases with a wink. “I know the truth.”

Peter rolls his eyes and shoves Sam in the shoulder as they near the top of the hill. 

“The phenomenal building you see straight ahead is Royce Hall. Legendary performance hall for all things amazing. Music, theater, public speaking, you name it. I’ll be in there one of these days.” Sam pauses wistfully as they get closer. “Some lucky features include: _Legally Blonde, Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ , and _Heroes_ the tv show.”

“I have to say,” Peter says admiring the building. “This is the most _Legally Blonde_ focused tour I have ever been on.”

“So… the best tour you’ve ever been on.”

Peter gives him an entertained look that doesn’t say yes but definitely doesn’t say no either. He actually loves it. Not because of _Legally Blonde_ , but because of Sam. It’s kind of exactly what he would expect coming out of his mouth, while also not expecting a tour like this in the first place. 

“If you want to depict an old, Ivy League school, ya come to UCLA to do it. But,” Sam continues as he spins and starts walking backwards, “the real, true landmark of this tour has less on screen time, but is vastly more important.”

They come up to a large, beautiful fountain built into the ground, water running through a large area, down steps within it, leading into another pool of water. Sam jumps up on the ledge of the fountain and starts walking along it, down toward the bottom of the fountain. Peter hesitates but steps up to follow him. 

“This baby was featured very briefly in an episode of that old show _House MD_ , as the front of a hospital building.” Sam jumps down to the next ledge, lower than last as they go slightly downhill. “Tradition is, you touch the water as an undergrad for good luck, and when you graduate you jump in. A lot of people take grad photos in the center of the fountain.”

When they reach the bottom of the fountain Sam jumps down, and Peter follows. 

“Some people think it’s bad luck if you touch the water again before you graduate, some people just jump in if it gets too hot.”

“Which one are you?” Peter asks, leaning over the water. 

“Ah, I don’t really believe in all that stuff. I did touch the water though.”

Peter dunks his hand in the water. It’s cool and the moving water is soothing. 

“The best part of it though,” Sam says behind him. “The reason I wanted to show you it isn’t just cause it’s beautiful. Guess what it’s called.”

Peter waves his hand through the water. “What is it?”

He hears Sam step up next to him before he answers. “Ironically named: _Shapiro Fountain_.”

Peter’s head snaps to Sam, met with a grin. “No way. You’re joking right?”

Sam laughs. “I swear I could not make this up. This beautiful fountain shares a name with the one spanish teacher who hates us with her entire being.”

Peter joins in on the laughter. “That’s amazing.”

“Right?? It's like the best and worst thing on the whole campus. I had to show you.”

Peter looks at his best friend, still laughing. He admires his giddiness, appreciating having such a good best friend. Suddenly it hits him: they’re alone now. And the smile still on Sam’s face is so fond it makes the fond in Peter’s chest grow. The urge to kiss him comes over him again, except this time there’s nothing stopping him. 

He pulls his hand out of the water and shakes it off. “Thanks for showing me. Really the best way to end a tour.” 

Sam is still smiling. “Probably wouldn’t have worked with anyone else though.” He nudges their shoulders together. “But y’know, only the best.”

Peter feels himself flush and looks back at him. The sun is almost set behind him, the sky deep shades of violet and blue. Sam is looking at him too. He seems like he wants to say something, but doesn’t know what. Peter suddenly remembers he’s supposed to be making a TikTok of this whole experience, and feels a sudden need to finish it right at this moment. 

“I um-” Peter reaches for his phone and looks away. Sam’s smile falters slightly. Peter fumbles with his phone and swipes to the camera, facing it towards them. “I’m gonna put this-” 

He doesn’t seem like he’s ever going to finish one of his thoughts, and Sam’s face transforms into one of slight concern. He watches as Peter hastily stands his phone up leaning it against the step leading to the next higher ledge and presses record. He’s never seen Peter not care about the angle of a shot, even on his phone. 

“Pete what are you-”

Peter turns at his nickname, like he doesn't have a single thought running through his brain. The only thing he knows is what he wants to do next. He doesn’t feel in control of his body but doesn’t want to stop it, especially when it puts his hands on Sam’s face and pulls him into a kiss. 

It’s short and rushed, but it’s nice. Sam’s lips are soft and surprised and make every part of his body tingle like it’s everything it ever wanted. If his brain hadn’t short circuited before it definitely would have now. Peter pulled away just as quickly as he pulled Sam in, stopping a few inches away, hands still on his face. 

Sam’s eyes are wide. He looks like there’s nothing but everything happening behind his eyes, and suddenly Peter’s body feels like it’s his again. Anxiety and all. 

He drops his hands from Sam’s face and leans back on his heels. “Uh..”

Sam blinks at him twice, then looks over toward the side of the fountain. Peter looks over too and honestly, he forgot about the camera. 

“Are you making a TikTok video?”

 _Oh fuck._ Peter thinks. _Oh shit. I shouldn’t have done that. Shit. Oh my god I can’t believe i just did that._

Peter blinks a few times but doesn’t look back at him, just keeps staring at his phone. “Uh… yeah?”

“Oh,” is all Sam says. 

“I’ll just-” he reaches for his phone to stop the recording. His hand is stopped by Sam’s, and he freezes, anxious and surprised. 

“Oh,” Sam says again. “Okay.”

Peter scrunches his eyebrows, confused. “What-”

Sam is looking at him when he turns to him, more specifically looking at his lips, but only for a split second before he puts his hand on the back of Peter’s head and pulls him back in again. Peter stands stock still in shock for only a moment before responding in kind. They kiss, slow and hesitant. Peter steps the slightest bit closer, Sam responding automatically by taking his shirt by his waist and pulling him even closer. Peter feels his senses overloading as he reaches one hand up to Sam’s neck as the other rests on his chest. His heart beats harder than he’s ever felt it as their slight height difference faintly registers in his mind. 

The only response his body has to that thought is to tilt his head up further and part his lips. Sam has never been one to second guess an invitation, immediately swiping his tongue across Peter’s lips. A shiver runs down his spine that he’s sure Sam can feel when both of his arms circle around him. He feels Sam’s hands on his back pull him against his body as Peter lets Sam’s tongue into his mouth. 

His brain, which has had nothing to say aside from the height difference note, screams into the abyss until it’s white noise, and Peter finds himself driven by only his sense of touch and taste. His hands find their way into Sam’s hair, arms around his neck, and Sam hums into his mouth, which sets off a whole new set of tingly sensations. 

His heart beats faster and harder, and only when he feels even the vaguest signs of an asthma attack coming on does he pull away for air. 

Sam loosens his grip around him, but only slightly. They’re quiet as they both just breathe. 

It’s Sam who finally breaks the silence. 

“I guess we really owe it to Shapiro, huh.”

Peter wacks him on the chest and laughs. “You’re disgusting.”

Sam laughs and kisses him softly one more time before releasing him. 

~~~

Three days later the comments pile up on Peter’s newest TikTok video minutes after he posts it. Most are concerns of ‘ _what the fuck??’_ with a few ‘ _finally!’’s s_ prinkled in. Dylan’s comment only reads: _yoooooooooooooooooooooooo._

He texts the link to Sam who he knows is in class, but also knows is likely to respond anyway. He does a few moments later when Peter receives a text of only the winking kissing emoji. 

He’s about to respond when his screen is overtaken by an incoming facetime coming from none other than Dylan Maxwell. That’ll be a fun conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had no idea what was going on in this chapter until it happened, so it came out longer than intended. Sorry if it's ramble-y, i wound up doing a fair amount of research on it??


End file.
